Eberechi Eze became the fourth player in history to score a hat-trick in the North London derby as Arsenal recorded a 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
His work ethic has impressed Arsenal’s coaches, but patience has been required since his move from Crystal Palace.
Eze did not spend pre-season with the Gunners, and he has taken time to get to grips with manager Mikel Arteta’s tactical demands.
The Spaniard’s instructions involve plenty of messages, and Arsenal staff believe Declan Rice also initially struggled with them in 2023 before stepping things up.
One of many reasons that Arteta adores Jurrien Timber is that he got it all straight away, according to the Independent.
Arsenal academy graduate Max Dowman is the same, but it is understandably rare.
Eze was free to play how he wanted at Palace, as he was their most talented attacker.
However, the England international needs to be absolutely efficient with attacking touches at Arsenal, as needlessly losing possession affects the structure of the team.
Eze has taken time to understand what Arteta demands of him, and his performance yesterday will be referenced for the rest of his career.
Arsenal host Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday before a trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea on Sunday.
The Gunners attacker will be looking to impress in those games, which will not be a problem as long as he keeps doing what Arteta wants.
